Andrew C. Ross

Book Reviews: A History of Polish Christianity

context that two problems arise with Sarkar’s exposition. Firstly, he makes it part of his programme to ’look neither backward nor forward to what [Kierkegaard] will eventually say in his subsequent works’ (p. 2). Sarkar thereby ignores the significant treatments of understanding that appear elsewhere in the Kierkegaardian corpus, notably in Concluding Scienti fic Postscript. Secondly, Sarkar fails to provide us’with definitions of and distinctions between such terms as understanding, reason, and reflection, nor does he define any other of the Kierkegaardian terms he employs. On the contrary, he disdains the ’commonplace philosophical task: to ferret out those properties from which the others would follow. Kierkegaard understandably does not do so, nor will I’ (p. 47). This refusal to define his or Kierkegaard’s terms, however, means that Sarkar’s critique of Kierkegaard’s conception of understanding and his attempts to correct and improve it,

Christian Resistance to Apartheid: Ecumenism in South Africa 1960-1987@@@Who Are the Independent Churches?@@@Pangs of Growth: A Dialogue on Church Growth in Southern Africa@@@The New Crusaders: Christianity and the New Right in Southern Africa

This is an examination of the roots of evangelical Christianity and the role it has played in supporting the cause of the American New Right. The author traces the influence of evangelical movements from their US bases through to the Philippines, Latin America and through to southern Africa. Taking Zimbabwe as a case study, he points at the natural alignment that they form with the political right through their shared ideals - an assumed morality, a crusade against godless communism and defence of Christian values. The author concludes that, far from offering salvation to the peoples of these developing countries, evangelical Christians have more commonly worked to further oppression and inequality.

Book Reviews : To Free Christ From Europe

his many admirers and introduce a new generation to his audacious, controversial, but compelling ideas, his rich spirituality and his gift for vivid expression. Lake’s account of the defences the personality builds against pain, loss and dread is of abiding value. His description of mental health, drawn from many psychological traditions and grounded in Jesus Christ, and him crucified, maintains its pastoral and theological sense through the passing years. His insistence that the Holy Spirit applies the saving love of God to the deepest and darkest recesses of our unconscious memories has rightly revolutionized pastoral practice. The collection will encourage ministers not to be fearful of personality disorders, nor to deflect emotionally damaged people away from the gospel to ’secular’ helping professionals.

Book Reviews : Challenge of Liberation Theology:

and Context: Old Testament and Semitic Studies for F. C. Frensham edited by W. Claassen ([1988], £25.00/

Book Reviews : Important Study of Apartheid

42.50, pp.321, ISBN 1-85075-040-8). Twenty-two essays examine a wide range of topics and are erudite and sometimes narrowly specialist; the contributors come from many different countries, nine from South Africa as is only right. l,srael’s Apostasy and Restoration is the title of a volume of essays in honour of Roland K. Harrison, edited by Avraham Gileadi (Baker Book House [1988], n.p., pp.325, ISBN 0-8010-3830-8). Peter Craigie wrote an appreciation of Professor Harrison as the Foreword, and all the contributors apart from William J. Dumbrell teach in North America. This

Black Christians and White Missionaries

Mokgethi Motlhabi’s Challenge to Apartheid : Toward a Morally Defensible Strategy (Eerdmans/ Paternoster Press [1988], £9.25, pp. ix + 243, ISBN 0-8028-0347-4) is an important book which enables the reader to share the insights of a Black Christian struggling with both the morality and the practicalities of bringing about the overthrow of Apartheid. The first three chapters are historical. Ch. 1, a general historical background, is perforce rather sketchy. However, the second and third chapters are the most informative and succinct discussion of the various forms of opposition to the post-1948 Nationalist regime available to the general reader. These two chapters alone make the book worth possessing. However, Motlhabi’s intention is not primarily descriptive nor is his main concern a western audience. He sums up his intention thus ’The purpose of this study is to examine the challenge posed to apartheid by national resistance movements in South Africa. The main aim is to determine the